ReplyAnyone throw a set of gauges on it?
New Guest
I have an Ice-O-Matic ICE 1403 (Cuber, Remote Condensor ) that recently started acting up. It makes ice, but only when it is above 70 degrees outside. It is inside a shop that stays between 50 and 70 degrees year round, and it used to make ice 24 hours a day. I have experience with commercial and residential HVAC, but this ice machine is giving me fits. I have had two other companies come work on the machine. One replaced the harvest assist motors, and both have come up with dozens of reasons why it is acting up but still can't get it to work correctly. They both have about 4 hours labor invested each with no results. Any ideas?
Professional Member*
Anyone throw a set of gauges on it?
Every customer you take for granted today will be someone else's tomorrow.
New Guest
Yes, both companies say the pressure looks good. I am in Texas and we haven't had much warm weather for the past couple of months, so of course when they show up it is close to 70 outside and making ice. When it cools down in the evenings below 65 or so, the water continues to flow but it no longer freezes.
Professional Member
Check the headmaster.
Professional Member*
Exactly- thats what i was getting at. Something is wrong with your outside unit.Originally Posted by mizzterclean
Every customer you take for granted today will be someone else's tomorrow.
New Guest
What do I need to check with the outside unit? By the way, thank you both for the help! It is greatly appreciated.
New Guest
The machine made almost 300lbs. of ice today. Worked great from 1 p.m. Until 8 p.m. The temp was 70 when it started making ice and it quit when the outside temp came down to 65. Went into harvest every 15 minutes.
SDC/Educational/Membership Committee*
It sounds to me like the Headmaster is OK. Most likely the system is just low on charge.
Professional Member*
call your pro and have them come first thing in the morning.
Every customer you take for granted today will be someone else's tomorrow.
Professional Member
Iceomatic ice machines are tricky and they also have a 800 number tech support out of colorado I think. the first thing I would do is recover the refrigerant and weigh in the exact amount of the nameplate, but i would vacuum the system down to remove any moisture or anything like that, i would also check the condenser split
Professional Member*
Excuse my rusty-ness. To my recollection, Ice - o -matic machines go into harvest based on low pressure. At a cooler outdoor ambient, pressure would be lowered in a shorter amount of time, which would initiate a pre-mature harvest. In my opininion, the charge is low.
SDC/Educational/Membership Committee*
Mt guess that it's low on charge is based on how the Headmaster works in the system and its relationship with ambient temperature and the system charge.
R404A icemaker systems typically use a Headmaster valve which is set at about 210 psig, or about 90 Deg F condensing temp, to flood the condenser with liquid by bypassing discharge gas to the receiver to maintain head pressure. This additional liquid refrigerant must come from the reserve in the receiver. If there's not enough refrigerant in the system to adequately flood the condenser, the receiver will run dry and the TXV will be starved.
It's probable then that at around 65 Deg F ambient the Headmaster on this system is trying to flood the condenser and there's simply not enough gas to accomplish that.
If the system has worked OK in the cold weather previously, then it would be wise to look for a leak someplace.
New Guest
I am a Tech with Ice-O-Matic. Feel free to give us a call at 800-423-3367. Press option 3.
Professional Member
300 is a long way from 1400.
Professional Member
This one have one or two txvs?
The only decision in life is to decide what to do with the time given to you
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